Customer Reviews

Wallis: The Novel

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I truly enjoyed this book. Ms. Edwards eloquently and unbiasedly told a historical story in a way that entertained and educated me. The saga is captivating and interesting to anyone, even those who are unfamiliar with the "scandal".

I have never been impressed with Wallis Simpson nor even Edward VIII with all of the scandal, abdication and split of the royal family, probably because I was a little girl when it all happened, but through the years in seeing the newsreels of this couple and other news items relative to them, I rather discounted them. Wallis, to me was not good looking, always appeared so cold, and Edward seemed weak and is reported to have been sympathetic to Germany at the time of Hitler. Of course, he had a heritage to Germany. I read this book out of curiosity more than anything, but I do say that it is well written, interesting and I read it more as a novel than a biography. I would recommend this book as an interesting read for those who like romantic novels, at the same time remembering that there is also truth in the story, as is all fiction based on factual occurrences at some time.

I read somewhere about Edward VIII's abdication from the throne of England so that he could marry, American divorcee, Wallis Simpson back in the 1930s and I was curious to know more of their story, specifically his feelings about leaving the monarchy.

This is a novelization, with ascribed motivations and dialogue and honestly a lot of it is really unflattering to Wallis Simpson. I'll be the first one to tell you that I'm pretty well out of touch with popular culture these days, I "un-plugged" when my daughter was born, nearly nine years ago, but I was never one to read People magazine or pay a whole lot of attention to the personal affairs of the rich and famous. So, quite a lot of this made me cringe. For some reason when I read about the affairs of Kings who are long since dead I don't think twice about whose business it is to know what happened in their private lives, it just doesn't seem to be an issue. But when the events are of a more current nature for some reason it feels different to me.

I thought Wallis Simpson had a pretty interesting life before she ever met the Prince of Wales. I found her childhood and early years interesting and learning about her upbringing helped give some insight and perspective to her personality and behavior. I thought the relationship she had with her Uncle was particularly sad. Even so, she still comes off as a complete gold-digger and I wondered if she was ever satisfied with her life even after she married the King.

I would have appreciated an author's note and a source or two for the various bombs that Anne Edwards drops in her version of this story. She makes very specific references to the Prince of Wales' anatomy, as well as his sexual difficulty and sterility. She also makes mention of a nanny who sexually abused him when he was two or three years old. I know it's a novelization and the author has poetic license but still I would have liked a note to say what was fabricated and what was based in fact.